Mural of Honour

The Mural of Honour

The Mural project was launched in November 2005 as a fundraising project for the new Founders' Gallery at the Military Museums. The process of installing the Mural panels began in November 2006, and the completed mural was unveiled in the atrium of The Military Museums on 9 November 2007.

The 240 tiles that represent Canada’s military history from the War of 1812 to present day operations are highlighted by an interactive display in the Museum's atrium. The collective stories reveal the different theatres of war Canadians have been involved in for nearly 200 years, including both overseas and domestic operations.

Viewing the Mural

Click the Mural image to view the Mural of Honour.

Viewing the Mural

The interactive version of the Mural of Honour was built with technology that is only compatible with larger desktop monitors that support Flash. It will not display on smaller internet enabled devices. To view the Mural of Honour, either use a larger desktop display or visit the Mural of Honour in the atrium of The Military Museums in Calgary, Alberta.

TMM Mural of Honour

The Mural Project was initiated to raise funds for the creation of the Founders’ Gallery at the Military Museums. As the project evolved, it became clear that this was an opportunity to fulfill my vision to bring Canadian military history to the public in a creative and captivating way.

A tremendous team of volunteers embraced my vision and worked diligently to support this project in the early years and I am sincerely grateful for their devoted efforts, in particular, Ian Watson, who has devoted himself to this project and has been invaluable to the development of the Interactive Display. I am also very grateful to another volunteer, Marg Liessens who has provided invaluable support with proof-reading and content management.

I’d like to thank all of those who sponsored paintings in the Mural, for their generous donations and for stepping forward to participate in this unique initiative. The Mural Project would also not have been possible without the initial support of The Bank of Montreal, whose faith in our project enabled us to get the Mural launched. We have since exceeded our fundraising goal by raising over 600,000 dollars. I would also like to express my great appreciation for Digital Heritage in the initial development of our Interactive Display.

I understand the importance of legacy and remembrance, but I never predicted the impact this project would have on the families and friends who participated by paying tribute to the veterans in their lives, and to the shared history that is important to all of us.

These digital pages will continue to evolve over the years and will help viewers better understand the great challenges, tragedies and accomplishments inherent in armed conflict. What began as a fundraising endeavor has become a powerful memorial to generations of Canadians who answered the call, who fought valiantly, often at great cost, for their country and for a better world.

My hope is to give viewers a sense for the realities of war, of the the human cost and the innocence of the enthusiastic young men who enlisted versus the wiser, battle weary men who returned. And, of course, to honour those who did not return.

Lewis Lavoie was born in 1965 in St. Albert, Alberta, and is an established portrait painter and book illustrator. He is best known for his mural mosaics, which he engineers and executes for special projects across the country. Over the years, Lewis has been honoured with many awards for artistic merit.

Perhaps Lewis’ greatest challenge and achievement to date has been The Military Museums Mural, commissioned by The Military Museums in Calgary where he combined both personal legacy and military history to create an extraordinary educational exhibit for permanent display.

Incredibly, Lewis was able to capture and incorporate the distinct requests of our many sponsors, a difficult task for any artist. His accomplishment in bringing all the individual panels together to create the larger mural honouring each branch of the Canadian Armed Forces, is truly exceptional.

The mural comprises 240 separate images that together create the mosaic of the servicemen from each branch of the armed forces. Lewis Lavois painted 227 of the panels over a two-year period between 2005 - 2007. The remaining thirteen panels were painted by guest artists, including five works of art by original war artists of the Second World War.

The Afghanistan tribute #126 is of special and enduring significance for visitors to the Mural and indeed to all Canadians. Sponsored by General Walter Natynczyk (Retd), this panel honours the fallen soldiers and service personnel who paid the supreme sacrifice while serving in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2011.

The Mural Committee continues to welcome biographies, photos and family messages from relatives, family members and service personnel for the Afghanistan Fallen. If you would like to submit additional material to honour one of the Afghanistan Fallen, please contact the TMM This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Our sincerest thanks to all the families and service personnel who have helped out with their story submissions and photos in honour of Canada's heroes.

The Military Museum's Mural project has been developed by a team of volunteers who have devoted themselves to making this legacy project possible. The primary Mural development team consists of four people:

The Military Museums of Calgary, Alberta

The Military Museums (TMM) is a Canadian Forces tri-service history, heritage, art, research, and educational institution.

The Military Museums is dedicated to preserving the memories and traditions of the countless Canadians who proudly served their country through numerous wars and conflicts by their selfless dedication, commitment and courage.